OPUNAKE.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 January 1922, Page 7

OPUNAKE.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) The annual meeting of the Seaside 'Society was held on Friday evening of last week, there being a fair attendance. The balance-sheet showed a credit of £2lO. The special fete held recently realised £l9. Mr. I. S. Hickey, who has been responsible for a lot of excellent organising work for the society, resigned, and Mr. C. O. Edmonds was appointed in his stead. The society placed .on record their appreciation of Mr. Hickey’s past services. The Hon. Mr. Carncross, M.L.C., and Mr. O. Hawken, M.P., were appointed patrons, and Mr. T. S. Hickey president. A strong committee was elected for the ensuing year. The retiring president (Mr. A. Cook) and officials were accorded a hearty vote of thanks. The ladies, who take a big slice in the successful carrying out of all functions, were specially thanked for services rendered to the society. The Town Board has decided on Wednesday as the statutory half-holiday. The motion was carried on the casting vote of the chairman. The supporters of Saturday half-holiday have stated that they will petition for a poll. Time will soon show whether they will go on, with the proposal. There are a large number of visitors at the beach. Among them are several old Opunakeites, viz., Mr. Toy, an exA.C. man; Miss A. Braeine, daughter of a well-known ex-Opunake postmaster; and Mr. J. Higgins, junr., ex-Opunake school boy. Opunakeites are sorry to bear that Mrs. D. McGregor, of Pihama, is seriously ill at Hawera.

The Town Board has applied to the department for a loan to erect a dwelling on one of the board’s reserves. The board has a number of valuable town building sites, and the wonder is that the move to erect workmen’s cottages was not made years ago. The Opunake Dairy Company has commenced to manufacture casein. The dairyman is in need of all that cau be got out of his milk. The farmers in this district have not concerned themselves much about the meat pool. In fact, there are very few calves in this district (even in the province) kept for future export. Opunake is well served by motor service. Four well appointed motor_cars leave here every morning for Hawera; two leave Opunake daily for Eltham, and return; five motor cars leave Opunake for New Plymouth every morning and return in the afternoon and evenThe hydro-electric power board will now concentrate on the moiiey-to-lend departments in Wellington. There was very little use interviewing the Prime Minister and departmental heads during the tariff revision stunt. Meanwhile the work has been carried on out of the original Town Board loan, but that is now down to shillings and pence. The Town Board discussed the old, old trouble of town cockies farming the township. The members have a ful] knowledge of z the weakness in the registration system, and they can remedy it if they are really desirous Ox doing so. . There is a new phase in railway aifairs. The motor services are competing more than successfully with the railway in short runs up to 30 miles. Even the big English railway companies applied to the Eiigh Court for permission to run motor services in- opposition to the competing motor service, but it was not granted. If county councils are granted under the new Local Government Bill proposals an increased subsidy according to distance from a railway, this district will not be so badly off. The Egmont County Council s proposals to borrow £BO,OOO brings us back to where we were years ago. it will be remembered that 12 years ago councillors were “outed” for j a road loan. Then we had the late chairman (Mr. W. R. Wright) out with a tar-sealing loan for £70,000 or £BO,000. He lost the chairmanship over this progressive move. At the as meeting of the council he hadln, proposal. It is significant, btit neverthe less a sign of the tunes, that mont must have a 10 an to put its roads in order. Thrice have councils been cleared for supporting a big loan, and. tiirice have councils started their career with doubts regarding the a loan, but all have come to the same conclusion—that it is necessary. Sea fishing is a popular P a^‘“ e now but the local market is not so plentifully supplied by the local watered”™ as last year. It is amusing to see the number of visitors who go down to the wharf with a. brand new fishing heave-ho. and forget to tie the end of the line to the wharf. The new line, and hopes of a big catch, are heaved overboard.